A Shelter From the Storm
by Azorrah Lee
Summary: When a young man blinded by ambition finds solace in the arms of a veteran blinded by pain and a zest for life at the hands of a loutish thug. During his climb to the top he may be crippled by the power of love. Will he choose the safe road or brave an untraveled path. AU from Season 2.
1. Chapter 1

**A/n:** **Well, it's been a while and I know I haven't been the best camper. A little AU I through together, it starts following a some what altered canon timeline but who knows where it could take us; the changes are due to the absence of a very important and influential character in the form of David Karofsky. My Kurt is more driven and his goal is slightly altered to suit my motives, deal with it! Pirate for life! **

**I own as much as Jon Snow knows.**

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"Mr Karofsky," Kurt knocked on the door once more, hoping that he wouldn't have to tell his supervisor that he too had failed to complete his visitation duty with Mr Karofsky; he was said to be the most difficult patient, unwilling to allow you to do your job. "Mr Karofsky, please may I enter."

He was met by silence which he chose to believe meant 'do as you please'. Kurt walked tall as he entered the room with a potted plant in hand; the room was engulfed by darkness and seemed to be unoccupied except for the man in his late twenties who sat in an armchair gazing out the window. Kurt had expected someone with a more intimidating presence but still he entered wearily, "Mr Karofsky, I'm Kurt Hummel and I'm one of the volunteers." Kurt was met by an awkward silence which frustrated him. "I'll be visiting for two hours afterschool on Monday, Wednesday and Friday." The silence lingered, it unsettled Kurt but he knew how important this was to his future so he silently gritted his teeth and smiled. "I brought you a plant; it's a cactus, they require minimal care."

He gently placed the plant on the window sill, "I'm a junior at William McKinley… my interests are music, fashion, theatre and politics… my hobbies include playing the piano, reading and writing… I'm on honour roll and I'm planning on going to Columbia; Politics and Prelaw." He paused for a moment, leaning on the window sill for a moment, "I think that's me in a nutshell, tell me about yourself."

Kurt watched as the older man turned his head toward him, "I'm David Karofsky and I want you to leave me the fuck alone!" his voice was flat an unfeeling, Kurt was almost impressed by how cold his words came across.

"Well, my dad always tells me I have to work for what I want and sometimes that isn't enough because you need something different." He fixed an imaginary stray hair and in a flat unfeeling voice said, "You're going to have to work really hard to get rid of me."

David did not respond but rather stared out into the evening.

~0~

Kurt sat at the dinner table as his step mother placed an unsavoury looking pasta dish of sorts, his mind had wondered through the day's events as he blocked out his father's conversation with Finn about some sport or the other. He bowed his head in respect as Carole said grace before beginning his nightly routine of moving food around his plate as he ignored the mindless droning on about topics that mean absolutely nothing to Kurt.

"Kurt!" His father said with slight irritation in his voice.

"What?" He was shaken by his sudden return to reality, "Sorry, I got a little distracted, what did you say?"

"I was asking about your day." He paused, "You know, making conversation."

"It was an okay day," he said with a faked smile on his face, "I got a 'B' on my AP History essay because my history teach is an incompetent twit. Mr Schuster ignored my song suggestion, which shouldn't really surprise as it happens on a regular basis but I was already having a shitty day."

"Language!" Carole intervened.

"I started on my community work this afternoon," He smiled excitedly at the prospect and what it meant, "Volunteering three days a week was not only a great strategic move but also personally rewarding."

"Wow Kurt," Finn said with a goofy smile on his face, "You have a job as a waiter, you have time to volunteer three times a week and you're complaining about a 'B'."

"Finn is right Kurt," Carole said, her eyes filled with concern, "You're being too hard on yourself, don't you think so Burt."

Kurt's father shrugged, "Kurt knows his potential and his limits, if he feels he is falling short of his potential then he'll push himself but within his limits."

"Look," he wasn't looking to start a fight between Carole and his father on parenting styles so he had to intervene, "I'm not as bummed about the 'B' as much as I expected a better grade."

"So it was Schuster who ruined your day!" his father sat forward with a stern look on his face, "Why am I not surprised?"

"I don't remember anything happening."

"Oh honey, you don't remember what you had for breakfast this morning." Carole said sweetly urging Finn to shut up.

"Mr Schuster shot down my suggestion for the glee club to do Britney Spears in favour of easy listening." Kurt said letting himself get worked up, "The only easy listening I do is **_Michael Henry & Justin Robinett._**"

"Who?"

"Should I call the principal and threaten to pull my funding again?"

"What?"

"No," he could feel the cogs in his head turning, "I'll make him rue this day instead."

~0~

"And the guy just sat there in silence," Kurt moaned as he stood waiting for the next group patrons to arrive or for one of his tables to need his attention, "And he didn't even appreciate the plant I brought! I thought sick people were supposed to be more needy not emo."

"Well, maybe he's upset by the whole being in hospital while his youth is fleeting thing," Kurt looked the shorter mocha girl up and down, he stared deeply and maliciously into her almond shaped eyes.

"You know what Dax," he paused for the drama, "If you're not always going to agree with me then we're going to have a problem."

"You were being unreasonable!"

"Uh-uh, my dad just sheltered me so I'm not used to dealing with unsavoury characters." She gave him a questioning look over her horn rimmed spectacles, "those Neanderthals from school are not people!"

"You want to play the over protected card?" She said in that cute little accent of hers as she flipped her onyx hair, "I have Chinese tiger mom and over bearing Middle Eastern father, he sits there every night drinking water and making sure I'm safe."

"I thought that guy owned the place."

"No, a friend of his owns it but he still doesn't trust the staff."

A large party had arrived and seated themselves while they were playing 'My horse is more protective that yours', approached them but wished he hadn't when he recognised a face or two from school.

"Good Evening," He paused and inserted a fake smile, "I'm Kurt Hummel and I will be waiting on you this evening."

"Well," One of the jocks said as he handed them their menus, "If it isn't Lady Hummel. If you're waiting on us then how much do you bench press because I don't think you can handle any of this." He said flexing.

"I bench press more than your IQ," he said in a stage whisper, "And I beg you to stop doing that as, A, people are trying to eat and, B, I shan't nor do I desire to handle anything. So, what can I get you to drink?" The animals relayed their requests and Kurt was off to continue his conversation. "Now where was I girl?"

"You were bitching about the community service that will get you into the Ivy League."

"That's not the part I have problem with," he said, his voice turning shrill, "I love serving the community, I even did Habitat for Humanity last summer, but Mr Karofsky is unbearable! He doesn't do anything."

"What would you rather?"

"In an ideal world, he would love my company." Kurt stopped what he was doing to pull himself back to reality, "In the real world, he'd at least complain about my presence like my Grandfather."

"Da-Xai Khan," a deep voice said with a thick Middle Eastern accent said suddenly, "Your shift is over and it is time to go home."

"Mr Khan," Kurt said politely in a soft voice hulking block of a man, he sounded more nervous than he'd hoped, "It's nice to see you again."

"It is nice to see you as well Kurt," the man spoke sternly and with reason, "Still doing well in school?"

"I'm trying as hard as I can."

"That is all any parent can ask for." He didn't quite smile but Kurt knew that this was as close as the man got.

"I'm sure I've heard you and mum asking more of me." Dax said with an eyeroll.

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**Hope you liked it! Love it or hate, let me know.**

**If you don't know who 'Michael Henry & Justin Robinett' are... watch?v=w4rj_Vd_CQQ**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed and favourited the story; hoping this segment lives up to your expectations. I sort of decided to add Noah Puckerman to the equation because I want to write smut but I want the story to progress slowly, I also think he's to die for.**

**Remember that due to the omission, addition and alteration of some of the characters things are different, or at least that's what I'm blaming everything that doesn't match up with canon on.**

**Disclaimer: I don't anything, I don't own Glee or any of the characters. I guess I own Dax (Da-Xai Khan) because I based her on myself... more on that later.**

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Kurt gave three sharp raps on the door, "Mr Karofsky!" he chimed merrily, impressing even himself with his vast vocal range. "Mr Karofsky, it's Kurt Hummel, I'm here for my visit." There was no response, he knocked and announced himself once more only to be met by silence at which point he decided to enter cautiously. "Hi Mr Karofsky," He smiled brightly as he wandered deeper into the dimly lit room, "It's me, Kurt, from the other day."

"Leave me alone." David said with an emotionless tone, "I could have sworn I'd told you this once before." Kurt smirked to himself as he walked over to the armchair by the window.

"I thought we might enjoy a spot of tea on the law," he said approaching the ever so angry man, "So I asked an orderly to help move you."

"I don't drink tea."

"But I made cute little sandwiches and lemon squares; the deserts alone are worth the trouble." He said smiling and leaning slightly into the man's personal space.

"I'm more of a tart man myself." David said, his manner remaining aloof and consistently averting his eyesight from Kurt's.

"Look, I put a lot of effort into this picnic," He paused and mustered an appropriate facial expression to match his exaggerated emotion, "and you know I've been having the worst day ever! I just wish someone would appreciate how hard I'm trying in life, and it hurts! The least you could do is have this picnic because I already went through all this effort."

"It's not gonna happen."

"So that's a no on the picnic?" Kurt asked dropping his charade.

"Yes."

"Wait," he said smirking once more, "that's a yes?"

"No."

"Which is it?" he asked, playing coy.

"NO!" David shouted standing from his chair and towering over Kurt.

Kurt stood in place and smiled, "Well, at least we're talking."

"No we're…" he paused bitterly, "It doesn't mean anything."

"Maybe it does and maybe it doesn't…" Kurt smiled devilishly, "So, tell me about yourself."

"There isn't much to know," David paused and for the first time Kurt heard a slight modulation in his voice, "I'm a Lima Loser through and through."

"There's got to be more to you than that," Kurt paused in deep contemplation, "Where'd you go to school?"

"Thurston High School." Kurt raised an unimpressed brow that urged David to keep going, "went on to do pre-med at Princeton then I enlisted in the army where I got myself blown up and lost my right arm."

"Is that why you're here?"

"Yep," He smiled cynically- Kurt noted how handsome the older man was, "they transferred me back here and offered me an Honourable Discharge."

"I'm not sure what that even means but based on your tone I'm going to guess it's not what you were expecting."

Kurt saw something in the man, no sooner had he pounced and pinned using his body, "NOT WHAT I EXPECTED?" for the first time Kurt could see the stump as it rested on the wall next to his head, he could feel David's heart racing through his chest which vibrated as the man screamed. "I'd still be out there if some idiot had stuck to protocol but he his entire troop blown to bits."

"It's okay," Kurt said.

"Don't say I'm lucky to be alive, don't you dare say it." The man's breath was hot on his forehead, "I didn't deserve any more than any of those other men."

"That's not what I'm saying," he pushed against the man's chest but he didn't move, "All anyone means is that because you survived you owe it to all those who didn't to live."

"I'm alive aren't I?"

Kurt stopped for a moment to recompose himself, he was giving the same speech his mother had given him when explaining why she had to leave him, "To be alive is not to live. To live is to feel; to all of the pains and pleasures of life without fear. To express your eccentricities day-in and day-out. To try your best, in spite of your insecurities. To love yourself with neither condition nor shame."

"Oh yeah?" David sneered and backed away, "How do you love this?" he gestured to himself as a whole.

"One day at a time."

The atmosphere in the room was thick with angst and tension; the silence could be cut with a knife. "Those sandwiches better cute and the lemon squares delicious."

"So, now it's a yes to the picnic?"

"For an honour student," Kurt felt something inside him melt when the older man smiled, he regained his composure quickly as david spoke, "You aren't particularly bright."

"I didn't want you to feel I was too far out of your league," Kurt's eyes opened widely in surprise at his statement for only a moment, "I mean, why would I want to make it more obvious that I have a more perspicacious mind? Let's just go." He led David to the lawn, "Sit Mr Karofsky. Pink Lemonade?"

"Why is it pink?" he asked with what Kurt was coming to realise is his signature smirk, "Don't you find that the least bit suspicious? Lemons are yellow."

"I know it originated in the Czech Republic but my mother used to tell me it was because I was making it blush by being such a sweet heart." He said with a hurting smile.

"I'll have a glass if you tell me why your mother is in past tense."

He poured a tall glass of lemonade and handed David a sandwich, "It's Swiss on Rye. I talk, you eat."

"There goes my diet."

"My parents got married very young but struggled to have children for so long; finally, after ten years of marriage, there I was- all they ever wanted. My mother quit her job to raise me and everything sunshine, bumble bees and rainbows for the Hummel family." Kurt paused, he knew that this was the part where his story started to sound tragic, "When I was six she was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, it quickly spread to her liver, pancreas and breast. She died when I was nine, she was thirty-eight."

There was an awkward silence, "I'm not sure if your story is over, you use pauses excessively and it makes responding and reacting kind of hard."

Kurt couldn't help himself, he guffawed violently, "I'm done."

"Well, in that case," David's voice was low and gentle, "I don't know how to react."

"Eloquent, aren't we?"

Kurt watched as David turned a deep shade of crimson, "I mean… I don't know what I mean." Kurt raised an inquisitive brow, "It's been a while so my condolences are out of place as you aren't grief stricken; _that's nice _or _oh, okay _are insensitive and I've been awful enough as it is."

"Sounds like you know what you mean but you lack the confidence to stand by it," Kurt turned his nose up, "Woman find that most unattractive in a man of your age, how old are you?"

"Twenty-five, and you are not a nice person."

~0~

Kurt was moving the unappealing meatloaf around his plate and distracting his quiet family from noticing that he wasn't eating his dinner by engaging in conversation, "So we got a new history teacher, Mr McGrady offered to re-grade all of our work so my controversial essay may just move up a letter grade."

"What?" His father said pretending to have no prior knowledge of this development and winking at Carole, "I had no idea, now that is proper management."

"Indeed," Carole said, "Now you don't have to worry about working as much on extra credit."

"Yeah," Finn said excitably, "maybe you can rejoin the football club."

"Oh, Carole," he sighed heavily, "if only, I now have to create an entirely new impression."

"Everyone loves a football player," Finn smiled goofily.

"I can't be a Cheerio and football player-" Kurt held his tongue before he could call his brother a dipshit.

"Why?"

Carole sighed while Kurt just rolled his eyes, "Because Cheerios cheer at the football game and Kurt can't do both at the same time."

Kurt could tell that this was all very confusing for Finn so chose to redirect the conversation, "Did Finn tell you that he got a solo in this week's performance for the assembly?"

"You did?"

"I did?"

"Well, not officially but as soon as we have a set list it will be official."

"How do you know this?" His father asked quizzically.

"Well, it's not like Mr Schue can award himself the solo," he laughed at the prospect, "And it's not like he's giving anyone else a solo any time soon."

"Oh, I see."

"Congratulations," Finn said proudly.

"Are you sure you weren't drinking during his gestation?"

"Kurt!" his father screamed.

Carole laughed so hard wine shot out her nose, "Bless my soul! Aren't you just adorable!"

"No," his father was angry at him, "It's adorable if he's five, it's rude when he's fifteen!"

"I'm sorry," Kurt pulled Kerry Washington's signature look that made him look like he'd just crying or would burst into tears at any moment, "I thought my joke would be better received but it turns out it was in bad taste."

"You were raised better."

"And you should laugh more." Carole quipped.

~0~

"Have you ever kissed a boy?" Kurt asked as they ignored their jobs and hung out by the counter.

"Once," Dax tussled her hair slightly, "my mom set me up on a date with this boy from mosque."

"Your mom set you up on a date?" Kurt steadied himself to try not to fall from laughing so hard.

"He was cute in a very creepily similar to my dad sort of way.

"He was built like brick wall too?"

"No… I mean he was but that's not what I mean."

"Oh, he used to watch you at work too?"

"Yes… No, just let me finish."

"He was Pakistani."

"Just shut up!" Dax finally said firmly, "He was very traditional where as I'm-"

"Headstrong, modern and forever alone"

"Go die!" she said with a falsified smile, "Why is the all-knowing Kurt Hummel asking about my pathetic love life?"

"Someone almost sort of kissed me"

"Are you for real?"

"I'm only telling you this because you don't know them."

"Ugh," her face contorted, "Is it the old guy from the hospital."

"He's only twenty-five," Kurt said calmly, "And ewwww no! It was sort of one of the guys from glee."

"That incestuous club of yours," she shook her head, "no wonder my parents won't let me go to public school."

"I thought it was because your slutty ways would have gotten you knocked up."

"That too but right now isn't about me," she leaned in close, "tell me who your close encounter of the sexual nature was with!"

"It was probably nothing," he ran the moment through his mind again, "I could be misinterpreting this situation and it could have been purely platonic."

"Either way."

"Let me tell you what happened first."

She rolled her eyes, "Okay."

"I was fixing my make-up in the third floor girls bathroom when suddenly this person walks in, and you know it's a dude so I'm a little taken back but my mascara still needs to be done so I was not about to leave…

"Goodmorning," I said politely as I fixed my eyeliner.

"Sup,"

He went into the stall to take a waz and left the stall door open, "You know there is this amazing feature they put on the stall, it's called a door," he smirked to himself, "magical things happen when you use it, for example I don't get sick to my stomach."

"Blah blah."

Kurt kept focusing on his makeup and ignoring the sound of another person urinating. He was startled out of his stupor by the loud sound of flushing sound and suddenly the boy was beside him. "Can I help you?"

"Well as a matter of fact, I need your opinion."

"Doesn't everyone?" Kurt laughed to himself, "Lose the jacket, makes it seem like you're trying too hard, almost pretentious."

"Not what I meant," the boy slowly moved closer.

"Oh," Kurt said shakily stepping back till he felt the counter behind him.

"No." the boy placed his hands on the sink, on either side of Kurt- killing any chance he had of escaping.

"Then what?" hands grabbed him by the waste and he felt the boy's warm breath going down the collar of his shirt and hitting his collar bone which cause every nerve in body to come alive. Kurt felt the soft plush touch of lips on his neck, the hands worked their way up his side till they came to rest at the base of his rib cage. He was lifted onto the sink as the kisses turn from gentle to ferocious, Kurt gave in to his weakness and let his needs get ahead of him as he grabbed onto well-muscled shoulders.

Kurt could feel the kisses move up till the hot breath was on his ear and he heard, "Was that magical enough for you?"

…and that's why I'm not sure what to make of it."

"So he went all _Mills & Boons_ on you and then left you high and dry?" Dax asked in clinical voice.

"Well…" Kurt thought about it for a moment, "pretty much."

"Who is this guy?"

"Promise never to tell a soul because it speaks more of me than him."

"Scouts honour."

"You… I don't even… okay."

"Tell me?"

"It was Noah."

"Noah Puckerman?"

"Oh my gosh," Kurt said face palming, "He's a bigger hoe than thought if his notoriety has reached Crawford Country Day. U probably have an STD."

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**A/n: Love it, hate it, let me know. **

**I'm not too familiar with this format of ratings so please let me know if it's too steamy or vulgar and I'll raise the rating.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n: 'sup. It's been too long. just your run of the mill stuff: I don't own anything except any OC. enjoy!**

**btw; I'm slightly crossing over into Scandal for one of my favourite assholes :) but this isnt a crossover.**

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Kurt and Santana walked into the library their arms looped, "I am so glad we have Mr McGrady now," She said happily, "my essay mark went from a 'C-' to an 'A-'. If I'm still sleeping guys at the end of this fic I'm going fuck that man with a black dildo."

"He said my essay was intriguing, factual and college quality work." Kurt laughed, "Did you just-"

"Three walls is more than enough for me so I went all Kinds of _Wrecking Ball_ on that fourth wall." Santana said with a mischievous grin, "You excited that Mr Schue finally agreed to Britney Spears?"

"Yeah, and awarded himself the solo!" Kurt stopped suddenly, "Shit! I owe Finn an apology."

"What for?"

"I sort of jinxed this for him."

"Whatever." She choked on nothing, suddenly gobsmacked, "Puckerman? What are you doing here? You can't read."

"I'm here to ruffle the princess's feathers," he gave a charming smile.

"Why are you ruffling his feathers?" she asked angrily, Kurt sank in his seat and prayed to a god he didn't believe in that the earth would open up and swallow him whole. "Why is he ruffling your feathers?"

"Didn't His Royal Highness tell you?"

"What didn't you tell me?"

"It's nothing."

"I'm hurt," Noah scared off the girl in the seat next to Kurt and opposite Santana; he leaned in and whispered in Kurt's ear, "It's still on my mind."

Kurt's mind was flooded by memory of their short intimate encounter and the night sweats that followed as a result, "I don't know what you mean."

"What did he just whisper in your ear?" Kurt picked up his textbook and buried his nose deep in the Shakespeare dissection, "What did you just whisper in his ear?"

"I was just asking Kurt if he was having as big a problem forgetting our encounter in the third floor girl's bathroom."

"Wanky doesn't even begin to cover this." She was flabbergasted for a moment, "How could you not tell me?"

"It wasn't anything worth reporting on."

"I think you felt differently at the time." His smugness was beginning to frustrate Kurt, he was telling this story as those he hadn't been the aggressor.

"Wait a fucking second! Are you gay because then we all know Quinn did it."

"I'm not gay… at least not all the time…" Puck ran his fingers through his hair, "at least not with everyone."

Kurt turned a violent shade of red, "I'm sending out a mass text." Santana said, her face glowing with the light of the phone.

"No!" Kurt said trying to snatch the phone from her.

"Too late."

"Do you know how many phone calls I now have to face?"

"There isn't any reception under the bleachers," Puck whispered into his ears, "You wanna go make out?"

"Why not?" Santana said sultrily.

"I meant the princess."

"Let's go Santana," Noah put on his best wounded face, "you can come as well so long as you promise to behave."

~0~

Kurt walked into the house exhausted from cheer practice; he dumped his bag by the door and made his way into the kitchen. His muscles cried out in pain his lungs burned, he was in good shape but singing and doing challenging choreography was no small task, "Kurt."

He was startled by the voice and dropped his glass, "Yes Finn."

The tall boy stood awkwardly, "Are you and Puck really a thing?"

"What?"

"Are you and Puck-"

"I heard you."

"Oh," he said taking a step forward and retreating back to his safe spot, "You said 'What' so I thought you didn't hear me."

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Well Santana sent out a mass text."

"And are in doubt of its validity?" Kurt had unintentionally spoken with a condescending tone.

"I…" Finn drew in a deep breath, "I don't want to see you get hurt; Puck isn't a good guy and he may be using you or playing some practical joke."

"I'm not a child, I know what I'm doing." His voice as angry and harsh as his words; he calmed down a little and regained his composure, "I appreciate your concern but I'm not going to fall madly in love with Noah Puckerman, a relationship with anyone isn't even in my cards right now."

"Okay," there was an awkward silence, "Why are you here?"

"Finn, I live here."

"I mean, what about _Helping Hands_?"

"I don't have an appointment today, it's Thursday."

"Oh yeah, I got my allowance today."

"Who gets their allowance on Thursday?"

"It's so I haven't lost it by the weekend when I need it, when do you get your allowance?"

"I don't get an allowance."

Finn looked horrified, "But that's not fair!" then he suddenly looked horrified, "Where do you get the money you're always spending? Are you a truck stop whore?"

"I have a job as a waiter." He said defensively, "Plus my trust pays me biweekly and I get an annual dividend as a shareholder." Finn looked blank at him but he knew any further explanation would be a waste.

"Why won't Burt give you an allowance?"

"I neither need nor want one." He said turning on a gas burner and starting with dinner, "I have a steady income and as such have no need for tit bits from my dad."

"How much does your job as a waiter pay?" Finn looked intrigued, a look which was foreign to his face.

"Minimum wage."

"But you wear nine hundred dollar jeans."

"That's where my trust fund comes in."

"How does your reliability earn you money?"

Kurt dumbfounded, "It's an account that pays me biweekly until I finish graduate school."

"How much?"

"Why the fuck would I tell you?" Finn fidgeted nervously, "Either you tell me why you're sniffing around my finances or I'll tell Rachel you slept with Santana."

"You can't!" Finn paused, Kurt raised a finely sculpted eyebrow, "I want to get Rachel something for our anniversary and I was hoping you'd give me some advice on saving."

"You just need to get yourself a fixed deposit account and put ten per cent of your allowance in there every week."

"What's ten per cent of fifty dollars?"

"Five dollars." Kurt shook his head, "That is fourth grade maths."

"I'll never have enough in time…" he knitted his brow which always made Kurt laugh because he looked like a baby tasting lemons for the first time, "I'll just sing her a song."

"A song is not a gift!" Kurt said firmly.

"How else am I going to afford a gift?"

"Ask our parents for a raise in your allowance."

"I don't know how to do that…"

"Let me orchestrate the entire thing." Kurt laughs villainously because he liked the way it would creep Finn out.

**_LATER AT DINNER_**

"So then Rachel is like Kate Beckensale is not an eight!"

"What?" Kurt replied sarcastically, "She's an eight at minimum."

"I know," Finn said as enthusiastically as he always did when telling this story, "the British accent adds a plus one or two."

"That's like a golden rule, right?"

"That's what I said!" he lowered his head, "But she wasn't having it so what can you do?"

"Kurt," his father said rubbing his temples, "Don't patronise your brother."

"I was genuinely interested in his story…" He tilted his head and smiled.

"Mom, can I get a raise on my allowance?"

"Heavens Finn," Carole smiled sweetly as always, "I'll have to talk to Burt as to whether we can afford it."

"Money's good," Kurt watched as his plan fell into place, "Let's talk raise, what are you offering?"

"I'll take out the trash and wash all the cars."

"We have help for that," Burt chuckled as he sat back in his seat, "try again."

"I don't know… I'll clean my room."

"That's ten dollars' worth of work that I do for free." Carole said with a shy giggle.

"We still have help for that." Kurt said with a smile.

"This is my offer," Kurt watched as his dad commanded the room, "Improve your aggregate to minimum 'B-', do at least five hours of outreach work a week, work for ten hours a week and we'll give you five."

"Five dollars?"

"No silly," Kurt said gleefully as his plan came to fruition.

"Five hundred?" Carole questioned, the surprise evident in her tone.

"No," his father said before employing a dramatic pause, "Five thousand dollars which covers: gas, clothes, recreation and all sundry costs for two week."

"What about Kurt?" Carole asked with concern deep in her voice.

"Don't stress mom," Finn said with a dopey smile, "Kurt's reliable."

"The hell?" his dad turned and looked directly at Kurt, "Does he mean your trust fund?"

"Well," Carole said in a stern voice, "That's one way to get Finn to improve his grades but don't you think that's a lot of money for a teenager?"

"Not really," Kurt bit his lip, he didn't mean for this to start a fight, "If we can afford to let our kids live at a certain standard then why shouldn't we?"

"Their lives are already so easy," Carole said furiously, "They don't do anything around here! There's a gardener and a maid."

"So they do outreach and other community work."

"Oh yes," Carole laughed with an edge of malice, "guilty wealthy white people doing community service because they feel like that will ease their guilt for living the lavish life."

"I'm just trying to equalise our kids." Burt said with his hands up, "Kurt's monthly allowance was exponentially greater than Finn's and I was trying to equalise the ground."

"And you couldn't bring Kurt down from his pedestal?"

"Hey, I'm innocent in all this."

"I don't control his Trust," Kurt watched his father take a deep breath and calm down, he knew this was a touchy subject because he despised the man who did, "His uncle in DC is the executer and it was a fight to get him to agree on a smaller amount. They're adults and now they'll be more financially responsible for the future."

"Please enlighten me as to how that works!"

"Even though any hard work they do is for their future I still believe in rewarding hard work," his dad scratched his bald spot, "So: they do real charity work, they have to achieve higher than a certain grade, they need to get jobs, and they have to maintain generally proactive behaviour."

"That makes sense, which upsets because I hate being wrong."

~0~

"Kurt!" Dax said grabbing him as he walked through the door, "I've been waiting to see or hear from you. What happened with the man whore today?"

"Good Evening to you too Da-Xai." He spoke sarcastically as he got ready for his shift, "I'm well and yourself? Lovely weather we're having."

"Screw pleasantries," she looked over her shoulder to see if her father was behaving himself, "What happened at school today?"

"Well, I had AP History in the morning." Kurt said pretending not to understand her intention, "My Calculus teacher gave us a pop quiz which I was not expecting so that threw me off my groove but I feel confident of my performance under pressure."

"I'm going to die if you keep dancing around this!" she spoke with great drama yet her face and posture showed not a single fuck to give, "You're the one who chose to suddenly have an interesting life so I am in no way responsible for my peaked interest."

"Okay, calm down!" he said sarcastically with a giggle, "I didn't know you could be this excited by anything and we're in the same debating league and we both know how heated those get."

Dax replied with a cold faked smile, "Get on with it!"

"Well then in third period Santana and I had a free so we were in the library when he decided to join us." Dax seemed unfazed by the story to this point. "He kept sort of flirting and trying to touch me in a more than friendly manner to which I played defence. He said that it wasn't a testament to his sexuality but rather an expression of his feelings for me and the sexual tension between us."

"And?" her face stayed unchanged.

"And we went to hide on the bleachers with Santana because Satan told everyone in Glee that we were a thing and I didn't feel like answering questions based on hogwash."

He approached his next table with his back turn as he finished telling his story, "Hey babe." A voice said from behind him. He froze in place, he recognised the voice; a deep, sultry second tenor- he could almost feel those lips scouring the surface of his fragile porcelain skin all over again. "What's good in this dump other than you?"

"Really Puckerman?" He managed to shout in a hushed tone, "In some states this is considered harassment! This is my place of work, you can't just show up to please your apparent infatuation with me!"

"Is this him?" a small voice said from behind him.

"Dax, this is not the time for your questions!" he snapped without turning.

"I didn't say anything." She said with her hands up.

"I said it," A short brunette said in a sweet voice, "I'm Miriam Puckerman."

"And we're here to celebrate her riding The Crimson Wave for the first time." Noah smiled in satisfaction whilst Kurt just flapped his lips, unused to being wrong.

"Well congratulations Miriam," he flushed in embarrassment, "What can get you two to drink?"

"Well, since Noah said I was a woman now, I'll have Cosmopolitan." Miriam said in a sassy tone.

"And it'll be a virgin like you will be until you're married, dead or eighty-six." Noah said fluffing her curls, "I'll have a Cola Tonic."

"Kurt was raised in a cave," Dax said pushing past Kurt, "Da-Xai Khan, lifetime friend and confidant of Kurt Elizabeth Hummel."

"Noah Jethro Puckerman," he gave Kurt a sideways smile, "I'm courting Kurt."

"So this is him!" Miriam bounced in her seat excitedly, "He is pretty hot."

Heat rose to Kurt's cheeks, "He's also very smart and driven." Dax added.

"He stands by and for the things that are important to him." Noah said, his voice slow and gruff, "And that is the measure of true beauty."

"You're starting to sound like ma!" Miriam whined, "I just want to try straight hair."

"My mom says _'a woman is what is in her head not what is on it'_" Dax said with a smile, "She has perfectly sleek straight hair and I have a wild tangle of curls that can only be tamed by this french braid." She gestured to her head, "but there must be some wisdom to her statement, she is neurologist."

Kurt came to Miriam's defence, "Coco Chanel on the other hand says _'a woman should be two things: who and what she wants'_"

"Yo!" their manager shouted, "I don't pay you to fraternise, serve customers!"

"And he wonders why I won't let him touch my boobs." Dax said as she and Kurt went back to working dinner service.

"I like him," Miriam said giving her brother a full smile of braces.

"Me too," Noah smiled to himself, "Me too Miriam."

* * *

**A/n: feel free to tell me what you think :)**


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